Spring drilling apparatus.



A. C. LUDLUM.

SPRING DRILLING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 8,1911.

" 1,053,189. Patented Feb.18,1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

if@ z INVENTUR A. G. LUDLUM.

SPRING DRILLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1911.

1,053,189, l Patented Feb. 18, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

BY Etam/wld; A

Tron/afm,

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0..wAsl-llNOToN, D. c.

ASSIGNOR TO NEW YORK ENGINEERING COMPANY, A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK.

ALBERT C. LUDLUM, 0F NEW YORK N. Y.,

SPRING DRILLIN G APPARATUS.

Specification o'f Letters Patent. Application filed June 8, 1911.

1,053,189. Patented Feb. 18,1913.

Serial No. 632,054.

without increasing the weight of tools and rods to be lifted at each reciprocation.

The invention will be more fully understood in connection with the description of the accompanying drawings, wherein` To all whom it may concern: V l

Be it known that I, ALBERT C. LUDLUM, a citizen of the United States, residing at: New York city, in the county of New York; and State of New York, have invented cerf tain new and useful Improvements inI Spring Drilling Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to spring drilling apparatus, and has particular reference to means for counterbalancing a part of the weight of drill rods and tools, together with means whereby the drill rods and tools can be more rapidly hoisted or lowered wit-h less labor, than heretofore. l

In placer drilling for instance, as where it may be desirable to obtain samples of dirt at considerable depth, considerable dimculty is now experienced in manipulating the reciprocating drilling tools and rods, because of the increasing weight as the depth of the bore increases, this weight having to be lifted and dropped in order to loosen the material so that it can be lifted from the` bore. Whenever the dirt is to be removed; from the bore it is necessary to remove the rods and the drill tool, and then to replace the winch, spring, clutch, and associated parts; Fig. 4 is an end elevation; Fig. 5 is a detailed view showing the mounting of the spring, and Figs. 6 and 7 show in detail a. spring container for permitting the spring to be removedand inserted.

1 represents a drill rod casing carrying the platform 2 provided with uprights 3, 3 and a cross-bar 4, the cross-bar 4 being divided as at 6 to form a space for the sections 7 of the drill rods, as they are separated. The drill rods are made in sections which screw together, and when these sections are `not being used they are stood up on end on the platform 2 as shown in Fig. 1.

8 represents a tool secured to the lower rod 7, and l invention may be a chisel, earth auger, pump, drill, or other implement customarily the tool with a pump and then lower-the employed in boring operations, the particupump and rods again into the bore. It has lar character of the tool carried by the rods heretofore been proposed to counterbalance k7 being immaterial to this invention. a portion of the weight of the drill rods by i 9 represents a wrench or handle which is what is called a spring pole, but'this is clamped to the upper rod 7, and by which cumbersome and not capable of ready adthe men lift and lower the rods in loosening justment as the weight of the rods in the .and removing the excavated material.

O represents a rope which bore increases, and also not readily permitting the rods to be hoisted quickly or conprefera'bly to the lower rod section 7, aspat 12, 12 to the veniently.

By the present invention, there is provided a spring mechanism for counterbal- The winding drum 13 is mounted on a' frame 14 which is adjustably secured `to one of the uprights 3, as by a 4clamp 15. p

16 is a short shaft on which the winding drum 13 is keyed and also carrying a large gear 17 which meshes with a small gear 18 mounted on a shaft 19. The shaft 19 carries a dog 20 which is engaged by a sliding handle 21 when it is desiredto hoist the rods out ofthe bore or lower them into the bore. 22'is a spring which ordinarilyV holds the handle 21 out of engagement with the dog 20. The` parts thus 'far described are those of tion with the spring device whereby the rods can be readily lifted, together with clutch mechanism for throwing the spring into and out of operation. When the spring is out of operation, as for lowering the rods,

a brake mechanism is provided so that the partially counterbalance the rods, thereby permitting the men to drill at any desired depth f *men will reciprocate the ing is split so as yisloosely mounted on engage to hold '10 on drum 13, gears :will be opposedby Vthrough the pawl spring the weight ployed to lift or lower the drillrods vwithymeans is provided for v, cured tothe drum 24, together with a hand 4secured by turning the drum, r though Athe .tension of the spring can at any timebefin- `'creased by turningl on thesurface of a drum 24 by means of a and then again dropping the pawl to hold lever 25 is employed, so that the speed of the spring under the desired tension. lowering the rods and tool into theV bore can For deep bores, where the weight of the be easily controlled. rods becomes considerable, a heavier spring In order to counterbalance the weight of would be required, but the same result is atthe drill rods and tool a spring 26 is attached tained without changing the spring by what at its inner end to a bushing 27, which bushmay be termed a compound spring, that is, to slide over a lug 23 on the inner po-rtion preferably, which winds shaft 19, and at its outer end the spring is up first, may be made lighter than the outer attached to a pin 29 on drum 24, which drum portion. These two springs will be conshaft 19. Preferably' nected end to end by a joint 46, and in a at one edge, the drum24 is pro-vided with broad sense form a single spring. When the ratchet teeth 30 with which a pawl 31 may rods are light, itwill be seen that the'light the drum against rotation by spring willwindup first and only slightly the spring,` the pawl being pivoted on thei wind up the heavier spring, frame 14 at 32. AIt will thus be seen that the weight becomes such as to exceed `the limit weightof the drill rods exerted through rope of the light spring, :theheavier spring'winds 17, 18 and shaft 19 up, thus exerting an increasedpullion the thetension of the springf rope commensurate with the increased Y 31 and ratchet teeth 30, weight to be counterbalanced. Theaction and that by turningv the drum 24 by the would be .the same -if the kheavier spring ratchet teeth in one way to wind up the, were inside.

of the drill rods can be In case it is desired to remove the spring, more or less counterbalanced according to or to insert a new one, considerablediiiiculty the tension of the spring. Vhen the desired would ordinarily be experienced by reason amount of counterbalance is secured, the of the size of spring necessary, but by reason drill rods by thei of the particular attachment of spring ,herewrench 9 in the usual manner, and it will in described and the spring cup'37, shown in be seen that the amount of uncounterbal- Figs-6 and 7, a springcan very easily be anced weight they will have to lift each removed or inserted while under tension. time, willv be independent of the length of This cup 37 comprises a flanged body havdrill rods, while the uncounterbalanced ing a slot 33 tostraddle thepin 29 .anda weight will be sufficient to drop the drill central hub-39 which fits overthezshaft 19 rods to break up the material at the bottom when the ratchet wheel 35, spring 36, clutch ofthe b'ore,or to allow loosened material to disk 33, and plate 34 have been removed. be pumped up. Having inserted the cup 37 the spring is VIn order to permit the winch to'beemthen allowed to expand withinthe cup,there after the spring with the'bushing 27 can be pulled lengthwise off the shaft 19, the Abushing disengaging from the lug 2S.

.By attaching the rope 10 to=the drilling `tool itself, or to one of .the'lowerrod sections, it will be seen that the tool can ibellowered or raised and the rods readily coupled or uncoupled, and that because of the counterbalancing force of the spring the rods can be hoisted by winding upV thedrum with very slight effort.

It will be observed thatV the location of the Aspring on'the hoistingshaft 19is-not `essential, as it might be placed, with the clutch 33 on the drum 13, .but an important advantage flows-fromhaving-the spring on theshaft 19 which is geared' to the winding drum through a reduction gear. This advantage consists in permittinga greater reciproeation of the tool in the bore with a more "flexible yor smaller spring than would berequired with the spring Lon the winding drum. In the out loosening lthe tension of the spring, clamping the drum 24 to the shaft'19 consisting of a clutch disk 33 which engages aremovable plate-34 sescrew 35 by whichthe disk 33 may be frictionally clamped to the drum plate 34.

36 is a spring which normally tends to hold the clutch disk 33 out of engagement. B'yjclamping the disk 33, which is splined on the shaft y19 tot-he 'drum 24, and by then lifting the pawl `31, it will be seen that the winch can now be employed in the usual manner to lift or lower the rods, the brake 23- being used; to .control the descent ,of the rods. Inasmuch as the weight of the rods tends normally to wind up the spring, it'will be Vseen that as the depth of the'bore increases the tension of the spring increases so that it is not ordinarily necessary to change the initial tensionvof the spring which is to be very ylargetoiavoidexcessive winding up of thel spring on the downstroke of theV tool, with -consequentobjectionable increase of the counterbalancing eifect,=wl1ilea smaller and weaker spring onfa shaftA nia-kthe drum or .decreased ley/applying the brake and lifting ,the vpawl 31 ,and thennallowingthe spring .to revolve the :drumbaokward :to the-desired degree and when `the' latter case'the spring and drum .would have 1 ing more revolutions than the winding drum maintains a ino-re constant counterbalancing effect with a given reciprocation of the tool.

In ordinary hoisting and lowering of the rods and tools out of and into the hole, the spring counterbalance is not used, the clutch being clamped to the drum, but when the rods have been lowered to the bottom of the bore ready to be reciprocated to break up the earth or to load earth, the clutch will ing the spring into operation and causing it to partially or wholly counterbalance the weight of the rods and tool. Thus the men on the platform can, by winding up the ratchet adjust the tension of the having once obtained this adjustment it au` tomatically increases as the weight of rods increases with the progress of the bore so that it requires no more effort to manipulate the rods and tools at one depth than at another. Much is saved in the raising, lowering' and uncoupling of the rods by this mechanism, and two men on the platform with this apparatus will readily accomplish the same work that has heretofore required four or live men, thus effecting a large sav ing in the cost of drilling. o

Various modifications and changes in the specic embodiment of the invention herein shown may be made without departing from the scope of the appended'claims. Having thus described my invention, I

a pump with loosened clare that what I claim as new anddesire toV secure by Letters Patent is l. The combination with a drilling rig, of a spring device 2. AThe combination with of a spring tending Vto rotate the drum in one he combination with a winding drum, of a coiled spring and means for turning said shaft, releasable means for connecting the other end of said spring with said support, and means for operatively connecting said other end of the spring with said shaft to prevent uncoiling of the spring when the connection of said spring with said support is released.

5. The combination with a support, a

y ratchet,

be opened thus throwspring, and

connected to counterbalance the drilling devices, and a clutchfor throw` ing the spring out of operation when closed.v

l tending to rotate saidl drum in one direction, means comprising a" closed clutch for throwing the spring out of shaft mounted thereon, and a winding drum operatively connected with said sha, of a movable drum rotatable on said shaft and carrying a ratchet, a releasable pawl carried by said support and cooperating with said a coiled spring having one end connected to said shaft and the other end connected to said movable drinn, and releasable means for non-rotatably connecting said movable drum with said shaft.

6. In a drilling device, the combination with a shaft having a transversely projecting portion, of a split bushing engaging said projecting portion and adapted to slide longitudinally of the shaft, a spring having one end attached to said bushing, a drum vmounted to freely move on said shaft, and means carried by said drinn for attaching thereto the other end of said spring by movement longitudinally of the shaft.

7. In a drilling device, the combination with a support, a shaft Vmounted thereon and a winding drum operatively connected with said shaft, of a movable drum rotatable on said shaft, a coiled spring having one end connected to 4said shaft and its other end connected to said movable drum, and braking means cooperating with said movable drum.

8. In a drilling device, with a support, of a shaft, a winding drum mounted thereon, a. ratchet wheel rotatably mounted to rotate independently of 'said drum, a releasable pawl carried by said Support and adapted to engage said ratchet wheel, a spring operatively connected at one end to rotate said shaft and at the other end to rotate said ratchet wheel, and means for releasably connecting the ratchet wheel to rotate with said winding drum upon release of said pawl independently ofthe spring.

9. In a drilling device, the combination with a support, of means carried thereby for the combination supporting a vertically reciprocating drill- Ving tool comprising a winding drum having flexible' connection with said tool, and a spring operatively connected between said drum and saidv support for counterbalancing to any desired degree the weight of said tool and connections, said Vspring rotating said winding drum when said tool is reciprocated in one direction andy being compressed when said ltool is reciprocated in the other direction.

l0. In a drilling device, the lcombination with a support, of means carried thereby for supporting a vertically reciprocating drilling tool comprising a winding drum having flexible connection with said tool, a spring operatively connected between said drum and said support for counterbalancing to any desired degree the weight of said tool and connections, said spring rotating said winding drum when said tool is reciprowhen said tool is reciprocated in the other direction, and -means for throwing the spring out of operation without relieving its tension.

11. The combination with a support carrying a hoisting shaft adapted to be operatively connected with a weight, of a coil spring operatively connected with said shaft and said support to oppose said weight, the connection between saidspring and support comprising apawl and a rotatable ratchet, and means for clamping the ratchet to said shaft when the pawl is disengaged.

12. rIhe combination with a hoisting shaft adapted to support a weight, of a coil spring connected to said shaft at one end and to an inclosing drum at the other, said drum being rotatably mounted on said shaft, a ratchet carried by said drum, a pawl mounted to engage said ratchet to hold the spring under tension, aclutch disk sliding on said shaft, and means for clamping said disk to said drum.

13. A drilling rig comprising a base, a frame carried by said base comprising an upright and a divided cross-bar adapted to support surplus parts, a pulley carried by said cross-bar, a hoisting rope running vertically through said base and over said pulley, a hoisting shaft operatively connected .with said rope, a

nected at one end with said shaft and detachably held at the other end to said upright and tending normally to wind up said rope, means for manually winding or unwinding said rope, and means for holding the spring under compression when released from said upright.

14. The combination with a winding drum, of a hoisting shaft geared thereto to rotate at a higher speed, a spring device on said shaft tending to rotate said shaft and winding drum in one direction and clutch means for throwing said spring into and out of operation when opened and closed.

15. In a drilling with a support, a shaft mounted thereon, and a winding drum operatively connected `with said shaft and adapted tobe operdrilling tool, ofr

atively connected with the a double spring composed of a heavy and a light portion connected in series, the end of one portion being with said drum and the end of the other operatively connected with said support.

16. In a `drilling device, the combination with a support and a shaft mounted thereon, of a coiled spring having its ends oper- Gopies of'this patent may be obtained for .ment longitudinallyv of the spring operatively con.

device, the combinationv operatively connected five cents each, by addressing the atively connected respectivelywith said support and said shaft,l said ends being `respectively attachable and detachable by moveshaft.

17. In a drilling device, the combination with a support, of a shaft mounted thereon, a winding drum operatively connected with said shaft, a spring operatively connected between said shaft and counterbalancing the weight of the tool and connections carried by said drum, a handle for operating said shaft to raise and lower the drilling device, and means for holding said handle out of operative relation with said shaft during normal operation ofsaid drilling device. y

18. In a drilling device, the combination with a support, a shaft and a winding drum mounted on said shaft, of a second shaft, a spring operatively connected between said second shaft and said support for counterbalancing the weight of the tool and connections carried by said drum, and reduction gearing between said first shaftand said second shaft.

19. In a drillingfdevice, the combination with a support, of means carried thereby for supporting a vertically Vreciprocating drilling tool comprising a winding drum having flexible connection with said tool, a double spring composed of a heavy and a lightfportion connected inl series, said spring being operatively connected between saiddrum 'and -said support for counterbalancing 'to any desired degree the weight of said tool and connections, said spring rotating said winding drum when said tool is reciprocated in one direction and being compressed when said tool is reciprocated in the other direction, and means for throwing the spring out of operation without relieving its tension.

20. In a drilling device, the combination with a support, a shaft and a winding drum mounted on said shaft, of a second shaft, a spring operatively connected between said second shaft and said support for counterbalancing the weight of the tool and connections carried by said drum, said spring comprising relatively heavy and relatively light portions connected in series, and reduction gearing between said first shaft and said second shaft.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of'two witnesses.

ALBERT C. LUDLUM.

Witnesses z J. S. Woosrnn, IGriso. N. KERK.

Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C.

said support for 

